Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull." Photo: http://www.listal.com/viewimage/521758 .
The number three movie in The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies is "Raging Bull." In my view it's the best sports movie of all-time, the greatest of all boxing movies, and director Martin Scorsese's best work (with his mafia film "Goodfellas" a close second). All that being said, this is not a movie for everyone. Think of "Raging Bull" as the anti-"Rocky."
The movie is a biopic of boxing great Jake LaMotta. De Niro plays him in what may be the best performance of his career. How fitting that "Raging Bull" won him an Oscar. It follows the full arc of his boxing career. What's fascinating and sets "Raging Bull" apart from most sports movies is it isn't just about an athlete and his career in a given sport. Far from it. "Raging Bull" deals with La Motta's life as much out of the ring as it does his life inside the ring. Equally as compelling as the boxing scenes (which are filmed in gory detail) are the scenes depicting his destructive lifestyle. He is insecure, abusive to his wife, and has a love/hate relationship with is brother Joey (Joe Pesci). The scene's depicting La Motta's family life are some of the most raw and resonant in all of cinema. He not only beats people in the ring, but at home.
While DeNiro is exceptional in the lead role (he is an incredibly convincing boxer), credit should be given to the supporting cast. Joe Pesci is brilliant as his brother and Cathy Moriarty shines as La Motta's wife Vickie. She's not just a woman who stands around and gets beaten by her husband. She has scenes where she is the victim, but also scenes where she sticks up for herself in a powerful way.
"Raging Bull" brilliantly shows the arc of an entire career and life of an athlete. Aside from the brilliant acting and directing, the movie is beautifully photographed. Michael Chapman's black and white cinematography gives the film added weight. It works particularly well because black and white brings back memories of a time when boxing was one of the biggest sports in America and it also makes the boxing scenes more effective. Finally, the use of classical music enhances the experience further, especially the use of Mascagni's Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana as the theme.
While "Raging Bull" doesn't have a character we can root for (after all La Motta is vile, profane, and oozes way too much testosterone) it is a brilliant character study. It is not merely a boxing movie but a great work of cinematic art. As rough as it is to sit through, it is a great movie that should be seen at least once by everyone who loves movies.
The movie is a biopic of boxing great Jake LaMotta. De Niro plays him in what may be the best performance of his career. How fitting that "Raging Bull" won him an Oscar. It follows the full arc of his boxing career. What's fascinating and sets "Raging Bull" apart from most sports movies is it isn't just about an athlete and his career in a given sport. Far from it. "Raging Bull" deals with La Motta's life as much out of the ring as it does his life inside the ring. Equally as compelling as the boxing scenes (which are filmed in gory detail) are the scenes depicting his destructive lifestyle. He is insecure, abusive to his wife, and has a love/hate relationship with is brother Joey (Joe Pesci). The scene's depicting La Motta's family life are some of the most raw and resonant in all of cinema. He not only beats people in the ring, but at home.
While DeNiro is exceptional in the lead role (he is an incredibly convincing boxer), credit should be given to the supporting cast. Joe Pesci is brilliant as his brother and Cathy Moriarty shines as La Motta's wife Vickie. She's not just a woman who stands around and gets beaten by her husband. She has scenes where she is the victim, but also scenes where she sticks up for herself in a powerful way.
"Raging Bull" brilliantly shows the arc of an entire career and life of an athlete. Aside from the brilliant acting and directing, the movie is beautifully photographed. Michael Chapman's black and white cinematography gives the film added weight. It works particularly well because black and white brings back memories of a time when boxing was one of the biggest sports in America and it also makes the boxing scenes more effective. Finally, the use of classical music enhances the experience further, especially the use of Mascagni's Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana as the theme.
While "Raging Bull" doesn't have a character we can root for (after all La Motta is vile, profane, and oozes way too much testosterone) it is a brilliant character study. It is not merely a boxing movie but a great work of cinematic art. As rough as it is to sit through, it is a great movie that should be seen at least once by everyone who loves movies.
